The Ohio Department of Transportation Freeway Safety Patrol is getting a new look with Geico becoming the new sponsor of the complimentary service. The additional support from the company comes at the peak of the busy summer driving season when there is increased demand on safety patrol services needed to keep roadways clear and safe.
“The goal of the patrol is to quickly and safely reopen lanes of travel on our highways and get stranded motorists to a safe location where they can get additional help. We appreciate Geico’s partnership in this program,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.
The summer months see an increase of as much as 14 percent for incidents cleared by the patrol, and services rendered by the safety patrol are crucial in helping to save lives on Ohio highways. Despite extended work-from-home patterns causing shifts in commute times, speeds and crashes are up, and the need for the patrol is more critical than ever.
“Geico is proud of this new partnership and this opportunity helps contribute to making the state’s highways safer for everyone,” said Yvonne Obeng-Curwood, Geico regional vice president. “Drivers can also do their part by putting that phone down and driving alert, not distracted.”
The safety patrol is one of the largest in the country, covering Ohio’s major metropolitan areas, including Toledo. Official highway signs will inform motorists of the patrolled routes.
It is an integral part of the state’s incident management program, responding to more than 60,000 incidents annually. Assistance is free to all motorists in service areas and is available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Safety Patrol trucks are often the first to arrive at a traffic incident and also provide an array of services to stranded motorists such as changing flat tires, providing jump starts, adding coolant and fuel and removing disabled vehicles and debris from the roadway. Patrols also provide emergency/incident response and help with small safety repairs.
For more information, visit SafetyPatrolinfo.com.
